A Light in the Dark
by moor
Summary: Kaname x Yuuki. Yuuki is lured to the private box in the theatre while she is monitoring the halls as Prefect for their school's cultural outing. Kaname waits for his chance, and makes sure Yuuki finds him. Rating now M for implied sexual content.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: "A Light in the Dark"  
(Thank you fanfic for Kyoya)  
Fandom: "Vampire Knight"  
Pairing: Kaname x Yuuki  
Genre: romance, PWP, gen  
Rating: 14+  
Words: approx. 2000**

**A/N: "Vampire Knight" belongs to Hino Matsuri and all related rights-holders.**

**This is a thank-you fic for Kyoya who wrote the 25th review in "Core Dump", an "Avatar" story I wrote. This fic doesn't fall in any particular time or space within canon, it's a simple 'PWP'. Enjoy!**

* * *

_Part One._

The theatre was small and intimate, its lush carpet muffling the sounds of the students who filled its seats and hallways.

"I'm so excited," whispered one girl as she passed through one of the ornate archways.

"I know, we hardly ever have activities with the Night Class!"

Following on the tails of a very successful ball held jointly between the Day and Night Classes, the benevolent headmaster had arranged for the entire school to spend an evening enjoying a play at an opera & theatre house in the nearby town. The Day Class students had spent the entire day preparing for it – to the point where their teachers had decided to simply cancel the rest of their classes by lunchtime, as half were absent and the other half were too distracted to pay their lowly grade-markers any attention.

The Night Class had prepared, also, but some complained about having to share the floor seats instead of sitting in their private boxes.

"It's good to interact with the Day Class," Ichijou consoled Ruca sympathetically. "It's a great gesture of goodwill between us and the humans."

"Hmph," she turned her nose away, feeling the stares of several of the human males on her again. Her skin felt like it wanted to crawl off her.

"Aido, please contain yourself," sighed Kain a few rows away, hands in the pockets of his dark, fitted trousers. He pulled one elegant, long-fingered hand out and glanced at his ticket again. "Where are we sitting?..."

The lady-killer ignored his friend's words and continued winking and blowing kisses at his admirers. "Yes, I remember all of you! Hello, ladies!"

Of course, this outing and the inter-mingling of classes required supervision.

Headmaster Cross had sat down with Yuuki and Zero earlier that afternoon and gone through the layout of the theatre to familiarize them with it and give them as much help as he could.

"These are the emergency exits," he pointed, "these are the snack bars, here are the washrooms, here are the lobbies and waiting areas…"

"What about the private booths and boxes?" asked Zero, pointing to the rounded areas that jutted out from the walls, higher in the auditorium. "Aren't the Night Class students using those?"

"No, everyone is to sit together like a normal school!" exclaimed their benefactor proudly, arms clasped tightly in front of him. "It will be a beautiful sight, student beside student, not separated by barrier or time, together to enjoy a cultural--."

"It was cheaper to get ground seats, wasn't it?"

"It makes it easier for you to supervise!"

Zero glared at the plans.

Yuuki spoke up for the first time. "What time do we head out and return, Headmaster?"

"Say, 'Papa'."

Eyebrow twitching, Yuuki sighed. "What time do we leave and return, 'Papa'?"

"Ah! My lovely daughter, you make me so proud!"

"Headmaster Cross…"

"Of course, Zero. You leave at 6:30 PM, just after supper, and should be back in the dorms by about midnight. There is transportation arranged. You will be the only party there tonight."

_For these small favours, we are thankful_, Zero wanted to say, but held his peace.

"Are there any restrictions, rules, or duties we otherwise need to know about?" asked Yuuki, memorizing the entry and exit points to the theatre.

"…There are no weapons allowed."

The teenagers straightened up in shock. Each glanced at the other in alarm, wondering if their guardian was serious.

"I'm afraid it's true," sighed the headmaster, his shoulders slumping as he read the expressions on their faces. "It isn't a 'goodwill gesture' of my own devising – the theatre's own company set this rule. We must abide by it."

"Can we take ours with us on the ride in?"

The headmaster hesitated. "Yes… but do not bring anything with you inside the building. There are wards within it that … well, let's not cross that bridge."

Yuuki glanced through the window that let in the late afternoon sun. "We need to go get ready," she said. Already she knew she'd be skipping her supper in order to make sure she had time to herd the other students along. "Thank you, Papa. We'll do our best!"

"Yuuki-darling, you make me so proud to be your--."

"Bye!"

With a flutter of her school uniform's skirt, she was already out the door.

Zero glared at the plans once more before turning to leave.

"Zero, a moment?" asked the man sitting behind his heavy oak desk.

Shutting the door, Zero calmly went to sit down with the headmaster in private.

* * *

_Part Two._

"This way, please! If you have tickets for rows 16 through 20, please come this way!" Yuuki called over the din of her fellow students. She waved her arms and jumped a bit to get their attention, but the majority were too infatuated with the Night Class students sitting on the other side of the row to pay her any mind. The soft pashmina scarf around her shoulders fluttered faintly at her jostling, and she automatically patted her Prefect Armband to make sure it was still pinned securely to the edge of the delicate material.

"Pay attention to your Prefect!" hollered Zero angrily from behind Yuuki, startling her so much she nearly dropped her megaphone.

"Gah, Zero! Could you warn me next time? And stop scaring everyone…"

The tall young man ignored her and glared at the students now filing meekly into their seats. Arms stiff at his sides, he still wore his usual school uniform and regarded everyone with cold eyes.

"Go make sure no one's lost in the halls," he sighed, putting a hand to her back gently to send her on her way, "I'll take care of herding the sheep."

"Zero, I can--."

"Just go." He picked up her megaphone and brought it threateningly to his mouth. "Hurry up! If you're not in your seats, you'll sit in the lobby!" he called out darkly to the rest of the students still waiting to find their places. "Rows 21 through 24! Move!"

Yuuki glanced up to see the tendons in his neck move tightly under the tattoo-seal as he yelled. He wasn't really angry at her, she knew that, but it still bothered her she was being relegated to hall-monitor duty.

When she reached the corridors, they were deserted. Zero must have already scared the stragglers into obeisance.

_Of course they were deserted_, she thought after a moment's reflection, the Night Class is sitting with the regular students on the main floor. For once, everyone was together. Tonight there's no reason for them to not be where they're supposed to be. She had to hand it to the headmaster; this time his plan really had worked in her favour.

She did a full tour of the main floor's hallways, entrances, exits, and lobbies, and even peeked into the rest rooms. All clear.

It was less than five minutes to curtain – she could hear the orchestra warming up, and in the hidden corridors when she passed the backstage area she could hear the actors running to their positions on stage behind the heavy velvet curtains.

"All clear here," she murmured to herself. It was a bit spooky to patrol completely by herself in a new location, however she remembered attending a similar performance in the theatre before, when she'd been younger. She was familiar with most of the layout and common areas already.

That was when she heard a sound behind her. Footsteps.

Yuuki whirled, her hands automatically moving to open her staff—which she immediately remembered she'd left outside.

"Huh," she said, shaking her arms out. She let her hearing extend and calmed herself, focusing on the direction from where the sound had emanated.

The footsteps slowly, steadily retreated, becoming even softer before disappearing. Away from the auditorium. Someone was sneaking away! But where?

_The stairs_, she realized. The mezzanine, the balconies, and the boxes were all accessed by the staircases.

"Time to investigate," she thought, and followed the mysterious stranger.

Yuuki shone her flashlight in front of her; she didn't dare turn on the lights now that the production of "Romeo & Juliet" had started. Below the balustrade she heard the actors' dialogue on stage.

There had been no one on the mezzanine since it was closed to spectators that night; the lobby attendant had provided her a flashlight when she'd asked to go to the upper levels. She'd checked the first two balconies and had one left to go.

As she climbed a narrow, winding stairwell, she reached the top a little out of breath and recognized another of the heavy velvet ropes meant to prevent forbidden visitors from crossing the threshold. Hopping over it, she looked out over the entire balcony.

There was no one there.

Shoulders slumping, she turned off the flashlight and let it drop to her side. It made no sound as it bumped against the soft silk of her gown.

She'd been so sure she'd heard something, someone. Had it been one of the theatre's employees or actors? Maybe she'd had it all wrong – perhaps it hadn't been a student at all.

"All that running after a ghost," she sighed to herself, resting her chin on her hands on the railing at the front of the balcony.

The first act was coming to a close. She watched the curtains pull together, and the theatre went dark for a minute or so.

That was when she saw it – the flicker of a single candle lit in the highest, most private box reflecting off the ceiling of the private room.

The young prefect was glad she'd memorized so many of the corridors and stairways when she'd examined the theatre's blueprints in her father's office earlier that day. It had come in handy searching for the ghost. The route she took now, though, to the private box she knew by instinct.

_Must've gotten the hang of this place_. She automatically knew how to reach the levels where the box seats were located. Her sense of direction led her on.

She climbed the private stairwell that led to the intimate viewing area. It was a perfect hiding place, she realized – being the only box that was higher than the tallest balcony, no one would notice the glow from below, or even be able to see it due to the way its base jutted out. It was only by chance she'd noticed the reflection of light on its ceiling…

Adrenaline rushed in her veins as she reached the top step; she squared her shoulders back and prepared to escort the wayward students back to their assigned seats, with all the authority vested in her.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled back the curtain and rounded on the occupant.

The man waiting for her turned and welcomed her with a warm, inviting smile, a single rose in his hand.

"Hello, Yuuki," said Kaname Kuran. "…You're late. You had me worried."

His black shirt and elegant jacket fitted him perfectly; his dark hair was a bit loose, but suited him; and his eyes looked only at her as he stood and held his hand out for her to join him.

"Kaname-sempai…" she tried to remember why she'd come all the way up there to find him. To bring him back, since he wasn't supposed to be here. Right. "You should be with the other students. On the main floor…" Even she didn't want to send him back. She was a lousy Prefect sometimes. He should stay in this perfect box. But rules were rules…

"My ticket clearly says I'm in the right place. I have your ticket here, too." He stood directly in front of her now, looking down at her. With simple, elegant movement, he brushed a loose tendril of hair away from her face, and picked up her hand by the long, tapered fingers of his other, wrapping her fingers around the gift. His hand lingered by her cheek as he met her eyes, and his expression was caring, devoted, pleased to be in her company.

"I don't think…"

"Really. You can see the tickets have our names on them, and these seats." Drawing her into the room he led her to a small loveseat and motioned to the tickets on the nearby table. He swept them up and held them out for her to examine.

She stepped further in to the miniature balcony to bring the tickets to the single candle that burned on the low table – and realized with a start the table was heaped with fruit, pastries and treats.

"Kaname-sempai," she gasped softly, "you—your—look at all this—can you even eat--."

"Hmmm…" he read, taking the tickets from her hands. "_Kaname Kuran, Box M, Seat 1._" A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. She couldn't take her eyes off him. "_Yuuki Cross, Box M, Seat… 1_."

She felt her mouth open and close a few times as she tried to make sense of things.

"I need to get back…" she stuttered, trying to hold on to her sense of duty and purpose.

Kaname's smile softened and he reached for both her hands.

"Stay," he commanded, his voice like a velvet rope that bound her to him. He gently held up her hand and withdrew the flashlight from her. It dropped softly into the plushy carpet behind the seat.

Still holding her reverently in his grasp, he pulled her to him and sat her in his seat.

He kneeled beside her, close to the table, and reached for one of the red berries shining lusciously in the dim light.

"Say 'ahh'," he instructed, holding the strawberry up.

Yuuki swallowed and tried to think of what to say.

Faintly amused at her reaction, Kaname cupped her face with his other hand, leaned in close, and pressed the tip of his thumb to her lips to open them slightly. He gently pushed the sweet berry through, licking his thumb when he finished. His face inches from hers, he watched her blush and chew, his hand stopping an inch from her cheek, as if remembering he had her all to himself for the night and didn't need to rush.

"See, it's good."

"Mmm-hmm," she murmured.

"Would you like another?"

She swallowed, and relaxed a bit. Unsure of what he was playing, yet immensely pleased to have his attention and care, Yuuki felt her shoulders loosen, and a smile move slowly across her face. They could have tonight together.

"Yes, please," she said, and leaned forward to meet him this time. He rubbed his thumb over her lips again to tease them open, and she did so readily.

The light in Kaname's eyes glowed happily.

* * *

**TBC.**

**/mm**

**AN: Thank you for reading -- I'm working on Part III & IV!  
AN: This chapter first posted 20 Aug 2008.  
AN: EDIT: Thank you, neverbreakxpact, for bringing to my attention the error I made with how Yuuki addressed Kaname! (I knew I forgot to add something! Fixed now; I think I got them all...)  
AN: EDIT Numero Deux: Fixed the spelling on Aido's name. Sorry about that!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: "A Light in the Dark"  
****Fandom: "Vampire Knight"  
****Pairing: Kaname x Yuuki  
****Genre: romance, PWP, gen**

**Rating: M  
****Words: approx. 3000**

**A/N: "Vampire Knight" belongs to Hino Matsuri and all related rights-holders.  
****A/N: This is a thank-you fic for Kyoya!  
****A/N: Also, I noticed I made a few spelling/consistency errors to the characters' names – I'm sorry! I think I've corrected that in this chapter, and have corrected in the first chapter as well. Please let me know if you see any more!**

IMPORTANT A/N: You may have noticed I've bumped this story up to an 'M' rating. This is due to strong sexual overtones later on in this chapter. Reader discretion is advised if you're of a sensitive nature.

**This fic doesn't fall in any particular time or space within canon, it's a simple 'PWP'. Enjoy!**

* * *

_Part Three_

Yuuki felt more than saw her sempai move closer to her on their secluded settee. She felt his warmth, his soft breath, the smooth fabric of his sleeve as his hand trailed down her head in a gentle caress, his fingertips leaving trails of heat on her skin so intense she was sure she'd see whispers of smoke if she were to turn even a hair's breadth towards him and look at him. Then he did just that, the pads of his elegant, long fingers sliding beneath her chin to raise and turn her head just enough to meet his heavy-lidded, smoldering eyes.

He was focused entirely on her; he took in her wide, hazy gaze; the way her lips opened slightly and her sweet breath slipped out in a tiny gasp; and how she trembled when she recognized the way she felt reflected in his own eyes.

_Lust._

Whatever act had been developing onstage was forgotten, in fact everything around them, from their public milieu to their social rank, slid from their consciousness as they were pulled to each other, leaning ever closer. The only sound they heard was their own breathing, becoming incrementally more heated.

They were drawn together. Anxiety lanced Yuuki and she clutched at her sempai's jacket; he in turn pulled her gently, confidently to his lap, one hand at the small of her sensitive back, the touch of his fingers strong and firm against her. His other hand's fingers now threaded delicately in her hair, loosening it from the curls so it fell in wavy locks around her flushed face in a lovely cascade.

In her stomach Yuuki felt hesitation, then a slow, building warmth that pulled her closer. _Anticipation_.

"Yuuki," he whispered, and she felt him rub his hand up her side in slow, pleasurable strokes. "Come here."

When he said her name, the longing in it nestled at her core– and his hand slid from her hair as it slowly, deliberately pulled her scarf from around her graceful neck, exposing her shoulders, her arms, and most of her back. Gooseflesh rose along every inch of her naked skin, though it wasn't from cold. The coiling fire in her stomach shifted, crept lower, and she shifted herself anxiously to try and ease it, but the feeling spread further, through her core and soon down through her legs.

_Sempai, what are you… _

As he leaned in closer, the young girl noticed the blood in her veins speeding up, a faint dizziness buzzing in her ears, and her heart beat hard inside her chest. He was making her feel this way, this crazy way as if her body wanted nothing more than to meet with his. To connect. To feel him as part of her. She wanted to kiss him.

"Kaname…-sempai…" she breathed cautiously, and her hands were now around his neck, holding him to her, her silk-wrapped bodice pressed as close to his front as she could hold him. She felt a bit afraid, but knew he would never hurt her. Closing her eyes a moment she swallowed hard as she felt him adjust her across his lap, settling her more comfortably with her legs on either side of him, one of his hands now at her hip to hold her safe, in place, where he wanted her. When she opened her eyes again, he was smiling reassuringly at her, and brushed another lock of loose hair sweetly from her face.

"It's ok," he whispered, and his lips met her forehead in adoration.

The Pure Blood's lips didn't slow; they ghosted down to her neck, and she ducked her head into his shoulder in shock, a thrill of nerves exploding deep within her and making her core melt, feverishly seeking more. A tremor shimmied down her spine into her lower regions, and she knew he felt it shiver through her. Her fingers dug into the expensive shirt that covered him, wrinkling it beneath her clutched, curled fingers. The air couldn't seem to come quickly enough to her to cool her down; for all the coolness of the theatre, their location away from the rest of the students, and her semi-undressed state, they both felt hot, far too hot.

His kiss on her neck deepened, and he gave a soft suck on her pulse, driving her wild. Without consciously realizing it, Yuuki had pushed the perfectly tailored jacket from his shoulders to the floor, and her hands roved over his back to seek purchase in his hair. She couldn't help purring happily when she twisted her hands in the raven-coloured fringe. She could finally hold onto some part of him that wasn't his clothes…

He squeezed her calf firmly in appreciation, and nudged her ear with his nose causing her to gasp faintly. Kaname's tender lips smiled into her neck and he nuzzled her, seeking her approval to do more.

And Yuuki closed her eyes when she felt his teeth gently graze the pulse in her neck, her face buried in his shoulder and without meaning to tugged some of his loose, dark hair; at his sharp intake of breath, she nodded.

When she moaned audibly as his hands splayed across her sides and he took his first, delicious nip, none of the spectators below were any the wiser.

Play completely forgotten, they moved forward, their hunger increasing with each kiss, each bite.

Kaname hissed with pleasure and stifled a groan in his throat when Yuuki grazed her teeth cautiously across his chest. His shirt hung open where their fingers had instinctively scurried to reveal more of him for her when his hair wasn't enough anymore. The sound he made enflamed her, and he brought his arms around her, under her rear, and pulled her flush against him. He shoved her skirts higher, wrapping her legs around him and suddenly she felt his urgency pressed up against her, hard and warm despite the layers of clothing that still separated them. She heard herself moan weakly when he rocked his hips gently to hers, bringing them together intimately, and he immediately slid a hand across her mouth to stifle her guilty pleasure. Slowly, he released the hand and it slid down her shoulders to her hips where he held her in place and rocked her again, just as gently, showing her how to move with him. And again. And again… and again…

Yuuki's eyes closed, her face red and her breathing becoming more and more erratic at his slow, erotic pace.

_How did he know how to do this? Did he have any idea how it was making her feel?_

Another moan escaped her, and she realized yes, he probably knew exactly how it was making her feel. As the wave inside her beat harder in demand to be released, she almost whimpered at its insistence. She had to do something.

Bending her head forward, her cheek against his, their warm breath mixing and mingling in the air between them, she took a tentative initiative, and moved back against him.

The way Kaname's breath whooshed from him in that moment told her she was doing exactly what he wanted now. Reciprocating.

She tried again. And again… and again…

Their heads were buried in each other, trying to stifle the sounds of their excitement and fervor. Instinct took over and they caught their rhythm, and it became more natural. And soon, more insistent. The fire inside her had spread through her limbs, but was focused in the part of her body that touched his most intimately. She didn't know exactly what she wanted, but she wanted to beg him for it.

Their breathing rose in pitch, and she wanted something more, but wasn't sure how to ask for it. She also didn't want to reveal how little she knew about where they were going, what they were doing. Frustration and arousal warred within Yuuki, and she wanted to weep with how strongly they fought for dominance. The way she felt, she wanted to know if Kaname felt it, too. What he wanted.

As the pressure built within her, slowly at first, and then faster and faster, she nipped at his shoulder in an attempt to release some of the mounting… not discomfort… but intensity. Her need for him, what he could give her, melted her inside and she knew the release would come soon. It rose with waves, receded a bit, and then rose again, bigger, faster, wilder. His hand rose to hold the nape of her neck, then her cheek as he dipped in and made love to her throat with his mouth, causing her to gasp and her hands spasm and let go of him a moment.

He shifted her slightly in his lap as she then pulled desperately at his shirt, his other hand rising to help her with the remaining buttons, and they both shuddered a bit at the change in friction. The wave of her release crested within her, she felt it about to break, and leapt forward--

"Harder," Kaname breathed harshly as her teeth sank into his shoulder and she accidentally bit him to muffle her mounting cries. She felt him tense as he stifled a groan of pleasure when she bit him with more force. "Yes," he said tersely. "Harder, Yuuki…"

His hands grabbed her then, roving restlessly over her dress, pushing it down from her front to caress her breasts while the other squeezed her thigh above the edge of her stocking, thumb rolling over, then just under, their lacy top. For her part, Yuuki could hardly breathe for the waves' intensity, and would have winced if she'd noticed the remainder of her inhibitions disappearing from her when Kaname reached for the delicate zipper at her back.

Her fingers were already undoing the heavy buckle of his belt.

* * *

Zero had stepped out at the first intermission to check on Yuuki's progress through the halls, but returned to his seat after supervising the break. When she didn't return by the beginning of the third Act, he gave a sharp glare to the entire student body that distinctly ordered them to _stay exactly where they were or face the consequences_, and then set off to look for her.

Headmaster Cross had told him Yuuki may be absent temporarily, but that she would return. He'd also mentioned something about Kaname Kuran being involved, but at that point his temper had overtaken him and he'd stormed from the office. He didn't want to hear about anything remotely relating to the leader of the Night Class. Even if it did have to do with Yuuki.

And that would be his downfall.

While the students behind him chatted softly in their seats, the curtain rose on the third Act and he found out from the security desk that his counterpart had signed out a flashlight to explore the upper ramparts of the theatre earlier, before the first curtain had risen that night. She had not returned since. He followed her path.

On the mezzanine, the vampire hunter stood very still, and eyed the entire theatre below, searching for any shaft of light which would indicate Yuuki was making rounds, was still on duty, was safe… There was no sign of her anywhere below. His focus turned higher, to look above him at the rows and rows of empty seats. Nothing. No movement, no sound, no light.

The play on stage had re-started and the spectators had grown silent as they heard the story unfold before them. It was obvious the outing was a success, and all the students had behaved themselves, and it seemed even the Night Class had put on a brave, patient front while they were occasionally ogled by the Day Class students. Really, Headmaster Cross should be proud that everything had gone off so well.

Apart from that his beloved daughter was missing.

Still calm, though feeling somewhat responsible for her disappearance since he'd been the one to order her off, Zero took a short breath to calm himself, closed his eyes, and tried to think of where she could have gone. Even the washrooms had been empty (he'd checked). And she hadn't returned her flashlight. She was a flighty one, but Zero knew she would have politely returned the torch when she was done her rounds… if she'd finished them.

_Where did you go, Yuuki?_ He thought, a little cross but mostly frustrated. He refused to acknowledge that he was worried about her.

It came to him then, in a lull in the action on stage when he heard the tiny, muffled female cry from above him.

Not from the balcony, but off to the side, and slightly higher – one of the private boxes. _Yuuki_.

He couldn't see inside the secluded outcropping, but there, on its ceiling, was a shadow cast by candlelight of a woman, head thrown back, arms in front of her on the shoulders of a man. Holding him off or holding on for dear life, he couldn't tell, but he knew who it was and his entire face darkened in recognition.

"Kaname Kuran."

Part of him told himself to walk straight back down to the main auditorium to supervise the rest of the students. Because he knew he didn't want to see what was happening, what could possibly be going on between the two of them if it were the latter and there was a reason she was holding the Pure Blood vampire like that.

That wasn't the part of him that his feet and legs listened to as they pumped madly in his rush to get to the box to get to his friend. "Yuuki," he mumbled viciously, "what are you _thinking_?..."

_He'd drag her out, yell at her about being a good daughter to her father, and then make her sit with him for the rest of the play, that was it, that was all he'd do_; he told himself this over and over as he hurried to get to her before she… before she…

_Yell at her, yell at her, yell at her_, he repeated to himself, blocking out any further uncomfortable images. Even as he remembered that Headmaster Cross had known, had even told him Yuuki would be 'temporarily absent' from the spectacle for a while, he severely doubted Kaname Kuran had confided to her father what he'd intended to do with her. For all his modern tolerance and preaching of peace between the cultures of vampires and humans, Zero Kiryuu knew this kind of 'physical good will gesture' was beyond the scope of Yuuki's father's encompassing benevolence. And probably patience.

He was infinitely grateful that he'd seen the theatre's floorplan that night, as had Yuuki, before they left. He arrived at the base of the stairs, by now following the sounds and intimate noises they made as he approached them.

Of course, Kaname Kuran made sure he wouldn't be disturbed.

"Get out of the way," the hunter ground out as he faced Aido, Kain, and Ichijou. The trio stood patiently, leaning against the wall or on the stairs, as if they'd been just waiting for him to show up. They probably had been. Pure Bloods held immense power over their subordinates, he knew, but was also aware that Kaname did not often exert that influence. Tonight, he wondered if the bloodsucker currently with Yuuki would have used that power to guard his privacy.

Kain and Ichijou exchanged a brief look, and glanced at Aido, and they all sighed or breathed out and uncomfortably shifted as they heard a quick, distinctly feminine _'Sempai…'_ whisper sweetly down the stairwell to land awkwardly between them.

"We can't fight you to stop you," said Kain, his hands held palm up before him in a gesture of peace when Zero took a step closer. "However, this is none of our business… or yours, either."

"I doubt her father would agree with that assessment," said Zero coldly, and felt himself straighten as he prepared to push through the wall of vampire nobility that held him at bay. "Would you have let your sisters or cousins remain in such a position? Think of her reputation." He didn't like negotiating or talking with them, but Headmaster Cross had made it very clear there was to be absolutely no hint of violence that night.

Another look passed between the vampire men, and Zero realized they were looking at the situation slightly different that he would have; for them, if one of their female family members were to… be with their leader in such a way, it would bring prominence and prestige to their family. It would be an occasion to merit celebration. Such was the honour to assist a Pure Blood in any fashion. Zero found it despicable.

He looked away, disgusted.

"I'm here to bring her back," he said, sick in his stomach at how the archaic vampire society still revered the Pure Blood status.

The way before him emptied of obstructions, and he heard Ichijou clear his throat as he followed behind Zero to announce the couple had a visitor.

"Kaname-sama, one of the Prefects has come to collect your guest."

As he reached the top step, Zero came upon a sight that rivaled his worst imaginings. Automatically, his hand reached out for her.

_"Yuuki…"_ he gasped.

* * *

**TBC.**

**AN: Thank you for reading!**

**/mm. This chapter first posted 29 Aug 2008.**


	3. Chapter 3

**

* * *

**

Title: "A Light in the Dark"

**(Thank you fanfic for Kyoya)  
****Fandom: "Vampire Knight"  
****Pairing: Kaname x Yuuki  
****Genre: romance, PWP, gen  
****Rating: M  
****Words: … approx. 2000**

**A/N: "Vampire Knight" belongs to Hino Matsuri and all related rights-holders.**

**This is a thank-you fic for Kyoya!**

**This fic doesn't fall in any particular time or space within canon, it's a simple 'PWP'. Enjoy!**

**

* * *

**

"Hello, Precept," greeted Kaname politely. Seemingly relaxed, he held Yuuki to him closely. "Is my Yuuki required to join you downstairs?" With one arm around her he stood calmly by the settee and proceeded to do up his belt in simple, elegant movements with his free hand. His shirt still lay forgotten on the arm of the settee, and before his very eyes Yuuki shyly produced his tie from inside his protective wing. The men had no idea where she'd been hiding it; it wasn't like she had much dress left to conceal it in…

Zero's lips pulled back and he seethed in anger at the vampire lord who feigned such an insulting casualness; Aido, Kain and Ichijou stayed close, but at Kaname's quick look did not interfere.

The vampire hunter's eyes were still wide as he took in Yuuki's slender, hunched form while Kaname covered her with his jacket. For a second he'd seen her back completely exposed, her hair in loose curls and waves around her pinked face, eyes bright and lips slightly swollen, her shoes were discarded on the floor and her stockings were rumpled, one pulled low enough he could see the lace top sticking out from under her slip as she tried to straighten her dress over it. Her face as she buried it in Kaname's side burned scarlet at being caught.

But what drove him to rush into the room and shove Kaname roughly to the wall, breaking his hold on Yuuki, were the small round bruise-looking welts that marred Yuuki's body from her lower back to her shoulders and down to the sensitive inner flesh of her wrists. He curttailed his curiosity from imagining what evidence her dress was still keeping from his eyes.

_Unforgivable_, he vowed, and went blind with rage. The tattoo on his neck thrummed with the power that coursed through him. _How dare he…_

A pair of end tables overturned and the silver platter of fruit was jostled to balance precariously on the edge of its supports as the two men crashed viciously into the velvet-draped walls. The ruckus was enough to carry into the audience below, but the spectators thought it was part of the action onstage and ignored it, luckily.

"Yuuki, get out of here and wait downstairs for me," growled Zero, his eyes locked coldly on Kaname's as he held the Pure Blood's naked torso to the wall. Kaname's eyes flashed blood red and his face darkened at the clear threat the vampire hunter was communicating through his overt, hostile body language.

"Yes, Yuuki-darling, please wait downstairs, this will only take a minute," agreed Kaname, one of his hands rising up to grasp Zero's wrist tightly. They started struggling, little at first, and then with more force. Both bore their fangs at each other then, and snarled; the fight was on. They pushed Yuuki clear and the struggle escalated, their grunts and breathing becoming harsher.

Yuuki watched them in disbelieving horror; but remembering her promise to her father, she jumped back between them, holding on to both their wrists now. She could only pray there were no protection wards in this part of the theatre to punish them.

"Zero!" Yuuki cried, clutching the jacket closed around her and trying to pull him off, "Zero no! Stop it!" She was joined by the other three vampires in an instant, and while they managed to pull Zero off, they couldn't get him to let go of Kaname.

"Zero please," begged Yuuki again, "See, I'm already going," she tugged at his now wrinkled uniform coat and tried to pull him to where her shoes were by the settee. "Let's go back to the auditorium; the rest will notice if we're all missing." She hopped a bit as she started trying to slip on one of her long, complicated-strapped shoes before she promptly fell over with a soft "_ooph!"_in classic Yuuki style_._

Her actions did distract the men, though, and her separation from the Pure Blood slowly settled Zero's rush of protectiveness. He gave a searing, gruff sound of acceptance in her direction, conceding peace. Begrudgingly he released his hold on Kaname and stepped back; the vampires let go of him in return, and they spaced themselves apart a moment, watching each other warily. It was a very fragile ceasefire.

For his part, Zero turned his head away from the vampires, and Yuuki too, and stood stubbornly at the edge of the fray. He looked like he'd rather have had the fight.

Ignoring Zero, Kaname moved slowly back to Yuuki and picked her up by the waist to her sit up on the settee while he picked up her shoe with his other hand. "Let me help you," he said softly, and kneeled at her feet to slide the shoe over her foot reverently.

"Thank you," she said shyly, and smiled back with only a bit of hesitation. Then her blush deepened as his hands stayed at her ankle, tying the ribbons very slowly and carefully, his fingers resting on her calf. When he was done, his hands stayed there, holding her. The pads of his forefingers twitched, as if gauging her reaction, and then traced small, faint circles over the silk-stockinged skin of her legs, just above the high line of the ribbon laces. "Sempai," she said, blushing deeper; the sempai in question looked her in her shining eyes and his expression promised something she'd only read about in books.

Kaname was watching her, her every breath in and out, the alluring changes her eyes revealed as he'd touched her this way and that, the way her chest rose and fell and hitched when he put his finger just the right way on the most sensitive inch of the tender skin behind her knee. Every part of her wanted him, and he wanted her just as much.

He wanted it all, he realised; he wanted her; he wanted her body and soul and he wanted to drink her blood until he was mad with it, until it filled him, and he wanted to take her and fill her, too, with his. _The thought of being inside her, being part of her…_

He felt himself lengthen and harden, his canine teeth aching against his lower lip as his eyes filled with blood-lust for the young woman in front of him.

"Your other shoe?" he said so softly only the two of them could hear it. He had to do something to extend his time with her. Even if it was by just a few minutes. She nodded; his hand slid all the way up her ankle, past her knee to her thigh to the seat beside her where the shoe rested. His hand was warm. In her stomach Yuuki recognized the current of warm sensation that was rapidly becoming familiar when she was around her sempai. He seemed to create a pull in her that longed only for him, his closeness, her soulmate. Having his hand, face, his entire being so near made her want to pull him to her, onto her, to cover her with his body and join with him and…

Then she remembered the others who were still in the room with them, and nearly gasped at her own thoughts, her mouth going dry in embarrassment. Her eyes flew open in surprise, and want, and confusion.

_They're right here with us! How could you do something so bold? _Her eyes seemed to ask. And how could she have let herself think such things with others so nearby? What was she thinking?

"Sempai-" she started to say, but his hand swept up quickly to muffle her voice before his palm moved to caress her cheek.

He smiled lovingly at her and spoke to her without words. _We were so close…We'll try again, Yuuki. When they won't interrupt us, I promise. We'll…_

Zero turned to look at them when he sensed something happening behind him. The looks in their eyes were obvious, and their closeness made his throat squeeze shut. It was the last straw; he'd had enough.

The rumbling in his throat was the only warning. Snapping up Yuuki's other shoe before Kaname could reach it, he strode directly between the two and grabbed her arm, yanking her to her feet and dragging her after him to the stairs that led back down to the mezzanine and lower theatre levels.

Too shocked to argue, Yuuki could only turn to stare at her handsome, vampire sempai as he watched her leave, her feet tripping and stumbling at the silver-haired man's selfish, rushed pace. Knowing that it was better to let her go at the present time, Kaname forced himself to relax his hands at his side and watched her head bob down each step. He'd always remember the silken feel of her dress as it had slid through his fingers as she was pulled away from him; he'd always curse Zero Kiryuu for it, too. He rose to his feet again when she reached the last step and turned the corner to the hallway.

With his hands in his pockets, Kain watched his leader's anger simmer on low burn behind his eyes. Not too far from him Ichijou sighed thoughtfully to himself and righted some of the articles around the room that had been overturned in the contained scuffle, and Aido was making caustic remarks about how poorly Zero treated his women.

Until Kaname's head snapped around to pin Aido in his place.

"She isn't his woman," the Pure Blood stated icily.

"My apologies, Kaname-sama, I spoke without thinking," corrected Aido, cold fire creeping through his veins a moment longer until Kaname turned away again, looking down the stairwell while he heard Yuuki arguing with Zero about letting her go since she could walk perfectly well on her own. His eyes hid his pain, but Aido had watched his leader a long time and could guess at just how tightly controlled the frustration was behind the calm façade.

Quelling the urge to punish everyone in his midst for the interruption, Kaname returned his attentions to the small private box. Ichijou handed him his shirt and Kain did a sweep of the room, too, and went to stand by the balcony overlooking the entire auditorium. He caught sight of Ruka looking slightly peevish in her seat as some of the human boys made googly eyes at her. It appeared most were still too terrified of her to approach her, however. One of Yuuki's male friends had taken a particularly obsessive interest in her, and it looked like he was hyping himself up in his own seat to go greet her. He chuckled in the back of his throat in sympathy for the lovely vampiress.

When he turned back he saw the coal-haired vampire twisting his cufflinks back into place; the rest of his buttons were securely fastened again. He was, however, without a jacket and that would raise questions.

"Here," said Kain, and he slipped off his jacket to hand it over. "I'm the closest fit to you."

Nodding in understanding, Kaname accepted and thanked him in return.

"Let's pray that Zero or Yuuki has the sense to put away your jacket now before they hit the main auditorium," muttered Aido grouchily.

Kain thumped him on the back of the shoulder in warning but the blond vampire didn't miss the sad look his sempai wore as they left the private box. If the other students found out why Yuuki had left, they wouldn't let it pass. It may make her life difficult… and possibly even cruel, outcast.

They abandoned the box and the events it had sheltered. Ichijou and Aido moved more quickly ahead of the two other vampires and Kain fell back a moment to walk beside the distracted, but serene-looking leader of the Night Class.

"That jacket is full of memories," he said vaguely as they walked together and reached the landing that led back to the mezzanine. They stopped and Kaname regarded him patiently as he continued. "Wrapped up in every pocket."

He gave Kaname a half-smile as he went on his way back to the auditorium to join Ruka, knowing his sempai was a smart enough man to figure out the rest.

* * *

**TBC.**

AN: Thank you for reading! I think there'll be one more chapter after this. (We need to make sure everyone makes it home safe, don't we? Home, safe, in bed, _coughcough_…) 8)

AN: I'm really sorry about the errors in this chap, I just wrote it in a rush this afternoon. Eep. (Redid it two or three times now, grr.) I'm not sure why, but the formatting keeps going wonky here, though... Urk.

Personal sidenote AN: I can't wait for "Vampire Knight: Guilty" to premier this autumn--the previews and trailers look so hot! _Eee!!_

_/mm Chapter first posted 08 Sept 2008_


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: "A Light in the Dark"**

**(Thank you fanfic for Kyoya)  
Fandom: "Vampire Knight"  
Pairing: Kaname x Yuuki  
Genre: romance, PWP, gen  
Rating: M  
Words: … approx. 2000**

**A/N: "Vampire Knight" belongs to Hino Matsuri and all related rights-holders. This fic doesn't fall in any particular time or space within canon; it's a simple 'PWP'. Enjoy!**

**This is a thank-you fic for Kyoya!**

**

* * *

**Zero shoved Yuuki onto a small sofa outside the auditorium when they reached the main floor.

"Do up your shoes," he ordered tersely, and threw her her second flimsy, long-ribbon-laced slipper.

Glaring at him from under her fallen curls, Yuuki cooperated while he waited with his arms crossed in front of him, looking at the doors to the main seating area.

She finished in record time and stood, ready to re-join the rest of the students. An angry sound erupted from Zero's throat and he grabbed her arm when she reached for the doors.

"Now what?" she asked with a huff.

He took off his jacket and held it out to her.

"Give me the one you're wearing. It's too obvious."

Automatically she clutched her sempai's jacket closer to her, as if wrapping him closer to her heart.

Zero waited nearly half a minute before his lips pulled back angrily from his mouth and he bared his teeth at her; he tore the jacket off her shoulders and spun her out of it, then took his own off and threw it back at her. Fair exchange.

But the look of hurt, betrayal and disbelief in Yuuki's eyes at his rough treatment would haunt him for a long time.

"Put it on now. The play's over and everyone will be getting up soon. Make sure you've covered everything."

With that he slapped Kaname's jacket over his arm and pulled the doors open to the auditorium.

Left alone, Yuuki's head fell forward and her hair covered her face, hiding the wetness that stained her cheeks. Zero was making her feel like a… She couldn't even say the word to herself. But it made her feel dirty that he saw her so.

Fists clenched tightly, the petite young woman shoved her arms through the sleeves of Zero's uniform jacket and used his handkerchief to wipe her eyes and nose before following him. When she emerged on the other side of the door, she was her usual cheery, energetic self.

Only two men noticed the change in her.

* * *

The rest of the evening passed for the most part without incident.

The students followed their directions back to their transportation to Cross Academy, everyone arrived smoothly back at the dorms, and the Night Class even bid goodnight to the Day Class students who lingered on, a gesture meant more to help Yuuki than Zero. Kaname must have asked them to behave politely for her sake.

It was after midnight when Yuuki started her final circuit of the campus, still wearing the oversize uniform coat Zero had thrown at her over her rumpled, now-worn silk gown. Her feet ached from the unusual shoes, she was emotionally exhausted, and she wished she had her sempai's jacket instead of Zero's, so at least she'd have an excuse to go see him to give it back to him face to face.

Stopping at an elegant terrace that opened up to the sky, Yuuki stared at the moon sadly for a moment, going over again in her mind how close she and her sempai had been. _So close to…_

But there was no one around to hear her confession, so why bother? Sighing, she felt her shoulders slump and her feet drag and she continued on.

* * *

Zero looked darkly at the aristocratic vampire across from him.

"Please return Kaname-sama's garment," said Ichijou politely, holding out his hand.

"Here," he dropped it in the other man's hands as he passed him by. "It's after curfew. Return to your dorm."

"Thank you for your cooperation, Kiriyu-kun," smiled Ichijou.

"Go," he scowled.

Turning his back on the vampire (he knew he was gone within a few seconds), Zero continued on the circuit that followed Yuuki's. Normally they took opposite paths, but tonight… he couldn't shake the nagging feeling in the back of his mind that the earlier incident wasn't over yet. He had to protect her from what the Pure Blood intended to do with her… didn't he?

He followed her. Had to keep her in sight. Wanted to walk beside her to make sure she was ok.

Thanks to the light of the moon above he saw her disappear past a terrace around a far corner of the building, towards the Moon Dorm. It was part of her normal route, but what if…

Picking up his pace, he started into a jog to meet her.

Not that he didn't trust her. But there were some Pure Bloods he wouldn't mind blocking.

* * *

Of course, Yuuki ignored him when he reached her on the path that ran under the large, widespread tree branches. The trees themselves were very old, their trunks wider than men twice her breadth. The night was quiet, and their foliage smothered most of the night creepers' noises. She pretended he wasn't even there, and continued on for some time under the leaves' canopy.

So he walked just a step behind her, and continued until she whirled on him, cheeks flushed, pain clear in her eyes.

"What are you doing, Zero?"

"Patrolling."

"Go patrol somewhere else. I don't need you here." She turned away and started walking again, but stopped when he kept up his shadow routine. Fists at her side, shoulders heaving from how hard she was breathing trying to remain calm, Yuuki clenched her eyes shut and counted to ten and willed her rushing thoughts to slow.

_You jerk. How could you do that to me tonight? I have every right to my privacy – how do you think it made me feel when you saw me like that?_ The weight of his jacket on her shoulders irritated her further then, and without saying a word, she started shrugging it off to fling it back at him.

"Take it. Here, take it back," she mumbled, thrusting the coat at him. She'd noticed right away that he was no longer wearing Kaname-sempai's jacket. She hoped he hadn't damaged it or just dumped it somewhere. She would have treasured it, or at the very least returned it.

"It's cold."

"I said take it!" she yelled, her thin arms shaking with anger.

Still he didn't move. His face showed a flicker of hurt, but he composed it immediately.

Arms dropping to her sides, Yuuki looked up at one of her oldest friends.

Their eyes met for a long, quiet time.

Neither was sure what to say.

"It hurt," she said eventually, glancing away before returning to face him. "It hurt a lot when you did that to me tonight."

He nodded ever so slightly.

"You don't need to protect me from Kaname-sempai. He would never hurt me," Yuuki continued carefully, unsure how to bring up intimacy with… well… Zero. He was almost like a brother, but who wasn't family exactly. And he never expressed his emotions. It made him so terribly hard to read sometimes.

Her friend's eyes darkened at Kaname's name, and narrowed.

"I'm not a fragile little girl, Zero. I'm growing up. I'm going to choose who I want to be with," her jaw tightened and she jutted it out stubbornly.

Still, he did not argue; but there was that flicker of hurt in his eyes again.

Sighing unhappily, Yuuki took a step forward and held out his jacket to him again.

"I'm sorry, Zero. I didn't mean to get mad at you. It was the whole situation that embarrassed me," she took his hand and folded his jacket over his arm, patting it smooth before taking a step back to look up and smile at him. "But you need to respect my privacy, too! Someday you'll have someone you love, and you wouldn't want me to interrupt you, would you?" she teased, and slapped him heartily on the back to try and throw off his bleak expression.

Putting a finger to her chin, Yuuki teasingly pondered aloud, "Who would make a good girlfriend for Zero? Hmmm… It would have to be someone warm, because you're so cold!"

He watched her mutely, and Yuuki skipped to the side and thought again, leaning forward to fake-examine him. "It would have to be someone strong, to bully you into doing the right thing."

Still not getting a reaction from him, Yuuki groaned and rubbed her hands on her tired eyes. "What do you think, Zero?" she asked sleepily, turning back to him, and couldn't stifle her yawn. She was exhausted. "Who do you want as a girlfriend—_mph!_"

His arms were on either side of her head, holding her where he wanted her while he took her mouth with his and showed her exactly who he wanted, what he wanted and how badly he wanted it.

Shocked to the soles of her shoes, Yuuki just stood there a moment, stunned. One of his hands moved from her cheek to her neck, pushing her hair away; Yuuki felt a flutter of panic in her stomach. Was this what Zero wanted? Was he hungry? Why was he kissing her?

"Ze…ro…?" she asked when his kiss shifted from her mouth to her jaw, and slowly made its way down to her neck. Still, she didn't feel the expected tender scrape of his teeth on her skin. She couldn't help but hear his harsh, heavy breathing in her ear. His habits always gave her a nervous thrill, but this was beyond that. This felt different. This felt… personal. Not the usual sharing of sustenance to alleviate hunger.

"Yuuki," he whispered hungrily, and his kiss deepened.

Then his hand fisted in her hair and brought her head back, exposing her neck.

_He must be hungry_, her brain told her matter of factly_, that's why he's doing this. That's all he's doing. He went too long without… without…_

But this is far too exposed. Anyone could find out.

"Zero, we need to get inside," she tried to shuffle towards the school building. "Someone could see this, they'll find out," she insisted.

He made an irritated, impatient groan in his throat, and raised his head. There wasn't a drop of blood anywhere on his face, or mouth. When Yuuki raised a cautious hand to her throat, it came back clean – not a hint of crimson.

She was completely confused.

"You mean _him_," he said quietly.

"I think he already knows," she whispered, looking away. She hadn't told Kaname, but somehow, she knew her closest friend knew Zero's secret. She was sure her father knew; perhaps he'd felt honour-bound to tell Kaname about there being another 'vampire' at Cross Academy, but one who wasn't in the Night Class…

But Zero's eyes widened at her admission. "What do you mean?" he demanded.

"I think he already knows that you're… that you need blood… and that… I… I'm the one who helps you," she said awkwardly, glancing at the ground. This conversation was starting to feel more and more intimate.

The long, tapered fingers in her hair shifted, combed the loosened curls back gently from her face, and his hand came to rest on her cheek. The other trailed down her back to rest on her hip possessively.

It came as another shock when he gave her a quick tug towards him and pulled her hips to meet his. Slowly, he leaned part of his male body forward to make her understand.

"Yuuki," he sighed, tipping his forehead to rest against hers, and closing his eyes. "You're too trusting."

"What do you…What are you…" She swallowed and tried to look away, but his hand moved to her cheek and held her still. Warning signals flowed through her body, particularly from the places they touched so warmly through their clothes.

"You," he stated. "Only you do this to me."

Thrust up against him as she was, Yuuki found it impossible to ignore what he was showing her, confessing to her.

Cheeks burning, she brought her arms up in front of her and did what she should have done when he first caught her in his kiss. She pushed against him to free herself, looking back towards the school. "I need to go back on patrol," she explained, and pushed harder.

"Yuuki, stay," Zero said, and held onto her wrist.

"No, goodnight Zero. I'll see you tomorrow," she yanked her wrist free of his grasp. Without looking back at him, she walked very briskly towards the last quadrant of her route, occasionally slapping her cheeks to cool them. _Zero, what's got into you?_

He watched her run away until he couldn't see her anymore. Even his vampire-sharpened eyes couldn't make her slim figure out after a few minutes.

That was when he felt the menacing presence behind him.

He turned to face Kaname Kuran, completely expressionless.

The two men regarded each other, sizing up and knowing the other did the same.

"Thank you for returning my jacket," said Kaname politely after an extended pause. He wasn't wearing it, though; he was still wearing Kain's jacket. Zero had noticed him wearing it as everyone had filed out of the theatre that night on their way home. But Zero had no interest in what the other man wore, and it was a peripheral observation, the same way he noticed the vampire kept his hands in his pockets now as he had then.

The far older man nodded faintly at Zero as he walked past him, but his Pure Blood eyes bore into the hunter's and the threat was clear: _Mine._ _Don't _ever_ do that again._

Without another word, Kaname blew past him and continued on his way, precisely in the direction Yuuki had taken.

* * *

**TBC.**

AN: I know, I said this would be the last chapter, but I decided to break this one up instead of having it end up super-long. Please forgive me. The last chapter (the one you're all waiting for with baited breath; you think I don't know what you're reading this fic for? 8D) is coming at the latest by Wednesday.  
AN: Thank you for reading -- please let me know what you think in the comments.

AN: This chapter posted Oct 5 2008.


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: "A Light in the Dark"  
****(Thank you fanfic for Kyoya)  
Fandom: "Vampire Knight"  
Pairing: Kaname x Yuuki  
Genre: romance, PWP, gen  
Rating: M  
Words: … approx. 5000**

**A/N: "Vampire Knight" belongs to Hino Matsuri and all related rights-holders.**

**This is a thank-you fic for Kyoya!**

**This fic doesn't fall in any particular time or space within canon; it's a simple 'PWP'. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Did something happen?"

His low, seductive voice nearly caused her to jump out of her skin in surprise.

"S-s-s-empai?" she half-turned to look behind her. Against the black night his silhouette was even blacker and she immediately recognized him by the graceful way he moved. Did he know what Zero had done? She held her confused feelings at bay and prayed rather optimistically that he was none the wiser. She didn't want to witness a second aggressive encounter between her friends that night.

"Mmm?" Even in the darkness his smile could both melt and reassure her. She ducked her head a little as he touched her face gingerly to push some of her hair back behind her ear. He was so persuasive…

_Do you know what he did?..._ But she didn't want to worry or upset him, so she shook her head and returned his smile.

"I'm fine. But it's after hours," she hinted miserably. "I'm sorry, sempai… please don't get caught." She couldn't bring herself to tell him to properly return back to the Moon Dorm. After her encounter with Zero she'd been so flustered she'd ended up starting on another full tour of the campus without realizing it, and was fast approaching the Moon Dorms all over again. She hadn't seen her fellow precept since she'd left him. Yuuki hoped he had gone back to his room to cool off. And possibly, if she was lucky, completely forget about her.

The vampire before her caught her attention again. Something about what she'd said had amused him, and she caught a glint in his eyes while a corner of his mouth wavered and threatened to break into a smile for a moment before he schooled it back into place. "I won't get caught, Yuuki-darling," he said, and there was that almost-smile again.

_Are you up to something?_ She wondered suddenly, and it became increasingly obvious he was in a roguish mood. She'd never seen him that way before. It was like he was being deliberately vague for the purpose of keeping something…_good?_... from her. Yet he usually only hid things from her in order to protect her. This time he seemed… happy? Like he had a surprise, or wanted to share good news with her. But what could he possibly want to give her…

Yuuki's breath hitched in her throat a moment as realization slowly dawned.

"Sempai?" she asked curiously wondering if he was about to bring up the subject of their earlier escapades together. Still standing on the path she turned to face him properly. "Do you need me for something?" She could barely squeeze the words out past the lump that felt like her heart had leapt up into her throat.

And with those words, _do you need me?_, the mischievousness light in his dark eyes dissolved and was replaced by something stronger, hungrier.

Looking into those mirrors Yuuki felt her heart drop straight down into her stomach, and everything he'd ignited in her that evening resurfaced and started to pull, slowly at first, then more insistently, soon causing a rushing in every part of her body. Had she meant to say those words that way? _Of course not_, retorted her tidy upbringing; _of course_, countered the part of her that fell to wanting when he was near.

Kaname continued looking at her, and stepped closer.

"Yes," he replied.

Yuuki felt the air warming between them, and stood motionless, waiting for him.

"What do you want?" she whispered. _He'll never hurt you,_ her inner-voice reminded her. _Be brave… _

And then another part of her, the more daring, bold side, uncurled from the depths of her psyche and added,_ "So go enjoy…"._

From his pocket Kaname drew the scarf she'd forgotten in the private box that night, the one she'd been wearing as a shawl to cover her shoulders, shoulders that were still bare in the cool night air after she'd abandoned Zero's uniform coat with him and fled him almost an hour earlier. The Pure Blood pulled the pashmina folds out delicately, mentally thanking Kain for his keen eyesight and thoughtfulness under such delicate circumstances that evening.

With deliberate slowness Kaname draped it around Yuuki's shoulders again and pulled her to him, step by step. His hand rested on the smooth line of her breastbone, holding the scarf, and her slight, human body, before him like an offering.

Bending his head down to her neck, he nuzzled her a moment with soft lips before running the sharp points of his teeth boldly down her neck. Her gasp and fine tremor of response excited him.

_What did he need her for?..._

"Company tonight," he breathed in answer to her question.

Yuuki had no doubt he could feel, if not hear, every thudding heartbeat in her chest as he spoke those words. She tried to swallow to answer him but her mouth was dry. Could she…?

"Come with me," he murmured, and pulled back just enough to look down at her into her eyes. Confidence. Promise. Anticipation. Expectation. He was waiting for her answer. She could read it all in his face, and she could feel the effect he had on her from her belly to between her…

Yuuki felt goose bumps spring up on her chilled arms and shoulders yet felt her face heat red at the same time. Could she really want him, to be with him the way he was implying? Could they, as a human and a vampire—a _Pure Blood_ vampire—go further than—she blushed deeper—what they'd done at the theatre that evening, where they had been discovered? Where would they find the privacy? What would it be like? Would it…

Her questions and their resulting anxiety must have been obvious on her face, because in the next moment her vampire chuckled under his breath and gently pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her in an affectionate embrace.

"You can say no, if you're scared I may hurt you," he sighed in understanding and compassion. "I will wait for you."

Yuuki felt her nerves immediately loosen and relax; she exhaled silently in relief, too, until she felt the bold, awakened part of her stir to attention again.

_No. _

_No more waiting. No more getting told to patrol or to protect the students or to risk getting caught by sneaking around in snatched moments of daylight._

The night could be hers.

_No,_ she thought again, the night would be _theirs_.

Biting her lip and glancing anxiously up at the vampire she'd loved since she was a child, Yuuki tried to think of how to say such a simple word as 'yes'. She tried to open her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come.

Before her, Kaname stood, still waiting. When she didn't reply, his lips straightened to a sad smile. His shoulders lowered an inch as if in defeat. His eyebrows rose in sympathy.

"It's ok," he sighed tiredly, completely misunderstanding her lack of articulation. He stepped back and smiled sadly down at her, taking her hand gently to lead her back to her dorm. "Let's see you home-."

"No!" Yuuki cried, digging in her heels and yanking back on his hand that clasped hers. Seizing every ounce of courage she had, Yuuki stood her ground.

The vampire looked at her in bewilderment.

"I want…," she stuttered nervously, tried again. "With you, what you asked me…" He was facing her now, watching her intently. In his expression she could see he dared to hope, and it was the greatest encouragement he could have offered her.

She shut her eyes, tightening her hands into balled little fists at her side. "Sempai, please," she opened her eyes, hoping he wouldn't take her shaking voice of ardour for fear, "… Would you please stay with me tonight?" the words tumbled out over each other. She put all her earnestness, truth and spirit into the request.

But for a moment, Kaname just stared at her.

Just as her heart was about to burst, she saw his almost-smile widen and glow.

"An honour," was all he said, before he smiled at her again and with his thumb wiped the wetness from the corners of her eyes.

* * *

It was past midnight.

Headmaster Cross heard the banging on his door and for the first time in years wondered where he'd last put a large, blunt instrument so he could dismiss his inconsiderate visitor hastily without the bother of witnesses. Then he remembered he was the headmaster of a renowned boarding school and that there could be a student in need on the other side of his door. He'd never abandon a student in need.

Sliding on his glasses and out of his bed, he padded to the main room in his favourite bunny slippers.

"Yes, I'm here," he smiled pleasantly at the furious face that met him when he opened his double-door. "Oh, Zero, what brings you here ton-."

"He's taking—he's taking Yuuki, he's going to take her to the Moon Dorm, you need to stop him," the troubled young man burst out, pushing the doors open and barging in without invitation to then pace back and forth in the shadowy sitting room.

Feigning confusion, the peaceful reformed hunter closed the door with a sigh and went to get them something to drink from his kitchen. "Who's taking who where? The Moon Dorm? The Night Class is in class at the moment. But just for a little while, they only have a half-day. Half-night." The long-haired man paused at the kettle to consider the fuzzy facts. "Half-night, yes, that's it. Only half their usual classes due to the outing this evening. Oh, how did you like the play?" he exclaimed, distracted again. This time he was bringing out the sugarbowl and turned to bring the tea tray back to the sitting room where Zero paced. "The students sounded very excited, and I think I may organize another one-."

"Kaname Kuran is about to take Yuuki!" yelled Zero, rounding on his guardian and nearly causing him to spill the contents of the ebony tray. "You need to stop him!"

Headmaster Cross stood very still, listening very seriously to what Zero alleged.

"Ahhh," was all he said after a moment. It was punctuated with a small nod.

Zero waited, expecting more.

But the headmaster walked around him and gently put the tea tray down on a nearby short-table. "Would you like anything in your tea?" he asked politely.

The hunter stared at him incredulously.

"… Headmaster, did you hear what I-?"

"I asked you what you'd like in your tea…"

Zero's lungs constricted painfully and he felt his tattoo sizzle as his vampire instincts roared to the surface. _This was ludicrous!_

"You are her father!" In his anger Zero kicked a small stool over. It landed with a cracking _thump_ a meter or so away.

"Your tea is getting cold." Stir, stir, stir. His own cup perfectly brewed, he continued ignoring the irate young man.

"He will hurt her!" His fists shook.

"I'm setting your cup down here, if you'd like to join me."

"He could be _raping her_!" He slammed his hands down on either side of the tea tray and stared into the eyes of the headmaster. The cups and saucers and accoutrements clattered and rattled at the force of the blow.

The room went silent.

Cool, level, but compassionate eyes met Zero's from behind a worn pair of spectacles.

"You… know," realized Zero in a whisper, his anger immediately deflating and shoulders sagging. The arms he'd slammed onto the short-table to get his guardian's attention now helped prop him up under the weighty truth. "You… know. And… _approve?_"

"This is not my choice to make, or approve," said the headmaster quietly, picking up his teacup; Zero's remained on the tray, untouched. "Yuuki is growing up and making her own choices." Whether he liked those choices or not, approved of them or not, the experienced man didn't allow any indication in his expression.

"But she's so young," insisted the hunter, almost pleading. The fight was leaving him, as his guardian had expected.

"Why are you against her making her own decisions?" an honest, though obviously leading inquiry. "Do you think Yuuki liked it when she found out you were becoming a hunter? When you'd be given life-threatening missions, regularly, and she may never see you again?"

"This is different," he retorted gruffly.

"Is it different because you think she's too young to make adult decisions? To have a mature relationship? Or because she isn't having it with you?"

Zero looked up as quickly as if he'd been slapped.

Headmaster Cross took advantage of the pause and stared hard at his foster-child. "I need to trust my children to make the best decisions they can, not just now but later on in their lives, too. I won't always be here for them in the future," he said. "But I can be there for them now, while they learn." It went without saying that he didn't just mean there for Yuuki—but whether his current company understood that, considering the state he was in…

Zero's head fell slightly, looking from the headmaster down to his hands as they trembled on either side of the midnight-black tea tray. _Such a morbid antique,_ he thought strangely.

"Would you like that cup of tea now?" Headmaster Cross asked pleasantly.

Unable to make sense of anything for the time being, Zero sat down in shock on the floro in front of the short-table.

_Yuuki_, he thought to himself, confused. _Don't do this…_

After some time the older man went to get a blanket from the back room for his ward so he could sleep there that night. Finally digging one up from the back of a closet, he picked up a pillow and wondered whether he should go make up his guest room.

When he returned to put away the tea set, he found his living room empty of visitors.

"Zero," he sighed sensitively, _why so rash_?

* * *

The Moon Dorm had been completely empty when they'd arrived, as Kaname had said it would be.

Giving Yuuki's hand a quick squeeze, he led her patiently to the far wing where his rooms were. Despite his assurances they wouldn't be seen, from under his coat Yuuki huddled and hid her face anyway, trying to cover her face in case there _were_ any straggling or class-cutting vampires who may catch sight of them. Her host noticed her conspicuous behaviour, though, and stopped to touch her cheek and pull the jacket down from her eyebrows.

"You're safe here," he assured her. "You are mine."

His thumb moved slowly from her cheek to the base of her neck, down her throat, to the front of her dress and paused.

"Mine," he repeated, and her stomach tightened reflexively. He'd chosen her, and she him. And soon they would be…

Under his gaze her cheeks warmed and she had to look away.

"Yuuki," he whispered thickly, and stepped closer. Then stopped. "Just one more hallway," the sound of his hoarse voice made shivers streak down her spine into her legs.

The moment they were behind his closed doors he grabbed her and pinned her to the back of the door with his body, burying his face in her neck. His jacket hung loosely to her shoulders and he lifted her stockinged leg over his arm to support her and open her to him.

"Kaname-sempai!..." she gasped, shocked he was so overt. Even as she spoke she knew her arms were tight around the back of his neck and her legs were inching higher around his waist to hold him closer. "Someone could hear…" The constant worry reared its head again, making her falter.

Shaking his head slightly the vampire muffled a chuckle before pulling back just far enough to look at her in the eyes. "No one will bother us here. You have my word."

The hand he'd been resting under her leg to hold her up slid up, under her dress, to caress her thigh. The skirt of her dress shifted easily to allow him access.

"You can scream if you need to," he offered considerately, his fingers alternating slowly between smoothing her hosiery down and rubbing up closer to her most intimate places. "I won't mind."

But unused to such actions, Yuuki was getting dizzy. "I don't need to scream," she said, swallowing as she felt the heat uncurl in her lower belly and spread through her. Already she felt her hips tilting towards his as he shifted them both to a more comfortable position.

She should have known he'd take that as a challenge.

"Oh?"

Lowering his other hand from her cheek down to her side just beneath her arm, he found the hidden zipper of her gown and trailed a finger down its seam, slowing as it reached her hip, then returning back up to dawdle at the zipper's head. Yuuki's eyes widened. Then closed as she groaned in pleasure; Kaname's own eyes were hooded as his hand reached through the breach he'd opened in the side of the dress, and he touched her warm, sensual skin.

"Soft," he spoke hungrily, practically doubled over her to reach every inch of her. His other hand moved from her thigh to open the matching zipper on the other side, and soon he had both his hands smoothing up and down her back, holding her close to him.

For her part, Yuuki tried to overcome her shock and gain control of the wildness that kept overtaking her; she reached down to the front of his shirt. One by one she undid the buttons and soon pushed the shirt back from him, exposing his torso to her. Tentatively she leaned forward to kiss him, only to have him suck in his breath in a hiss and arch backwards, his head thrown back as if in pain.

"I'm sorry!" Yuuki's fear choked her. What had she done?

"Not here," he gasped, trying to direct his breathing. His hands had seized her slim waist and held her to him, and she realized they'd been rocking together for the past while and only stopped when he'd cried out. But being pressed against the wall was uncomfortable; Yuuki bit her lip and looked up at Kaname's pained expression.

"Sempai, could we please move to the bed?" she asked shyly. Her head was on the pillow before she finished her sentence.

"Yes," he said tightly. "That's better."

As she watched him she noticed his chest was heaving and his fingers were dug so tightly into his bed sheets their knuckles stood out against his pale skin.

"Is something wrong?" Every insecurity she had rushed at her, and she wondered crazily if she, a puny human girl, had somehow managed to hurt a Pure Blood vampire. Or worse… was she… _bad?_ at what she was doing? Was that why he was stopping? Warmth stung her eyes. Was he trying to find a way to tell her he had changed his mind?

Lying there on his bed with her head on his pillow and his scent surrounding her, Yuuki realized how vulnerable and inexperienced she truly was.

She felt her heartbeat slow, and looked away towards the curtained window to catch her breath. Her mood was broken.

Kaname noticed the change in her almost immediately

He reached a hand to her cheek and raised his eyebrows inquisitively, and she turned further away.

"Yuuki," he said.

Still she looked away. _He hasn't even said he loves me,_ she realized with some embarrassment. _I was about to give him the one thing I could never give anyone else… And I don't even know how he feels about me._

"Tell me what's wrong," he said, sitting up and looking at her. He was perfectly calm now, if perhaps a bit cool, restrained. The sheets were still rumpled where he'd gripped them so stiffly, however it was the only evidence left of his untamed state.

"Do you love me?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you love me?"

The tension stretched between them, and he seemed taken aback by her question, considering it very carefully.

"Do you love me?" he asked in return, not answering her question.

Too tired to argue or play games, Yuuki nodded, retreated from him and sat up against the headboard. "Yes. For a long time," she admitted quietly, feeling childish.

But the warmth that spread through Kaname's face at her admission brought her up short. It was like he'd just seen the sun after a lifetime of night.

"Yuuki," he moved leisurely like a cat and came to kneel on the bed in front of her before he reached for both her hands, holding them in his. "Thank you." Leaning forward he brought his head down to kiss her but she turned her head away again.

"You didn't answer," she pointed out. _And if he evades this time I'm putting my dress back together and walking home barefoot, _she vowed to herself.

He tugged her hands forward to rest on his heart. It beat strongly, and she felt the force of it through the sensitive pads of her fingers. Yuuki dared to glance back at him, and he held her gaze.

"I've loved you longer than you could ever know."

* * *

Balancing his weight on his elbows, the sheet pulled low exposing his back, Kaname looked down at Yuuki as she lay with her hair splayed out on his pillow.

Their clothes were discarded on the floor, shoes piled nearby, and neither one had any idea what time it was anymore, other than it was finally _time_.

"Are you sure?" for the hundredth time he asked.

She smiled and nodded, reaching her hands up to run her fingers into the raven-dark hair that normally tickled the back collar of his uniform shirt. It hadn't taken her long to figure out she enjoyed touching his body as much as he did hers. "Yes."

"Are you… ready?" he asked uncertainly, and lowered himself slightly into position.

He shifted again and reached one hand up to hers, pulling it down so he could kiss the inside of her wrist. Then, still holding her hand, he brought her fingers down between them where they would join. "When you're ready, guide me so I won't hurt you."

Yuuki reached out hesitantly before finding him, and she knew she must have turned as red as a fresh tomato, from her hair to her shoulders, when she did.

Kaname's breathing broke at her touch, and she heard him hiss out his breath again as he had before – but before she could take her hand away he grabbed her retreating fingers and kept them close, stopping her from letting go.

"It's ok," he explained, trying to remain relaxed. "It takes a lot of control, not to take you as you are, to be so careful… I don't want to hurt you, Yuuki." His look said more: that he loved her more dearly than anything else on earth; that he wanted to protect her; that to him she was beautiful.

And at that he was the one whose cheeks pinked when he smiled, displaying his teeth slightly. _No, you're the beautiful one,_ she thought to herself. On a whim, she wanted to see more of his teeth.

Touching his mouth she prodded lightly and exposed one of his canine fangs.

"It looks bigger," she remarked.

He coughed and smiled ruefully. "We can talk about that afterwards if you'd like."

"Mmm."

She stroked him gently and brought him closer, arching under him somewhat to receive him.

He swallowed, focusing on moving his hips slowly as he pushed into her.

She flinched; he stopped; she moved against him to let him know he could go on.

"Does it hurt much?" he asked fearfully.

Wincing a bit, Yuuki grimaced back at him. "It just takes some getting used to. With practice I'm sure it'll get easier. That's what other girls have said."

He loved how she blushed when she spoke to him about their intimacy.

"We'll need to be diligent in our studies," he smiled down at her, and with a final thrust sank into her depths.

… and had to bury his head in the pillow beneath her head when she sank her own teeth into his shoulder to keep from screaming.

"I'm so sorry, Yuuki, I'm so sorry," Kaname repeated over and over, hating himself for hurting her.

She shook her head against him, taking in deep breaths.

"Diligent… students," she gasped out a few moments later. "If that's what it takes, then we're going to practice, every night." Her determination would serve her well in life, he knew. And would serve the two of them particularly well…

When her painful adjustment to him ebbed, Kaname straightened slightly and bent one of his knees.

"Hold on to me," he instructed thoughtfully, and carefully eased into a position alongside her, then under her, letting her sit astride him. "There, now you can move without me hurting you."

"You mean me on top?"

He nodded, and adjusted the pillow under his head. "Lean forward or back, rise up or down, whatever will please you."

Steadying her hands on his flat, muscled stomach, she leaned forward, then a little bit up, shook her head. Leaned back, and a little bit down. Her face quirked in an unsatisfied way and she looked down at him apologetically.

"Keep trying."

She stretched out overtop of him and lay her head on his chest, her hands joined with his.

"I'm pretty good like this," she said tiredly.

He remembered, then, just how tired she must be after acting as prefect, doing after-hours tours of the campus, fending off Zero and his wayward libido. What she needed was rest. Her exhausted state couldn't be helping her relax the way she needed to to enjoy herself with him.

"Allow me," he said, and rose slightly to pull his blankets over them both, fluffing them and tugging the luxurious material up to her shoulders – until Yuuki's eyes flew open and she slammed his arms to the mattress without warning. He stared at her, shocked.

"Don't. Move."

Her eyes were round, dark, and luminous; her mouth opened ever so slightly; and her chest rose and fell, her rounded mounds perking in arousal.

She'd found it. And she was not about to let him go.

She rocked, slowly at first, then more vigorously.

… And Kaname went back to gripping the bed sheets with a dying man's desperation.

* * *

"Yuuki, we can't be any more diligent than what we already are," insisted the Pure Blood as he tried to suppress a dignified yawn when dawn broke outside his window. He thanked whatever powers that be that her father was a _retired_ vampire hunter.

But he could never deny her for long, and he gave up a sigh when he felt her legs wrap around his waist again and she shifted her weight.

"I want to see what happens when I do this" had become her favourite expression. Or excuse, depending on how one looked at it.

Kaname's head fell back and he grit his teeth to stifle a roar of pleasure. There was being born lucky, and there was being born a natural… Whichever she was, Yuuki could draw his pleasure out within seconds, and keep it going as long as she desired to nurture her own. Her exhaustion wasn't slowing her down, either.

He could only pray that Aido was not camped outside his bedroom door with a tape recorder collecting his various impassioned cries.

* * *

"You're a sick puppy," Kain commented to the young, blond vampire crouched outside their dorm leader's rooms.

"Shhh! Now I'll need to edit that out!"

Rolling his eyes, Kain grabbed Aido by the back of his collar and dragged him back to his room.

"Go to bed. Your bed," he specified, and made sure he locked Aido's door from the outside when the young man obeyed with a sulk.

**The End.  
**

* * *

AN: Thank you for reading this story, my first VK fic! Your comments really made this a fun fic to work on! (And of course, thank you to the catalyst: Many, many thanks to Kyoya for asking for a VK fic as her thank-you fic.)

AN: Sagakure, thank you for providing such fab 'inspiration' so regularly. 8)

AN: If you enjoyed this fic, please leave a comment. I'd really like to know what you thought of it!

AN: And lastly, I apologise it took me so long to get this finished and that I'm posting this a day late; I got caught in terrible traffic last night, and it took me a long time to get home… (Please forgive me!)

/mm. This chapter posted Oct 9 2008. _Now go enjoy VK: Guilty!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Post-mortem author's note:**

**(And by 'post-mortem', I mean this fic, as it stands, is officially over... this is just a kind of 'special bonus' chapter, for those ZeKi fans out there.)**

**The alternate (Zero x Yuuki) ending is finally getting its due, and it's all because you guys asked for it!**

**It is being posted separately from this story, as "A Light in the Dark Part II".**

**Thanks for giving me your feedback through reviews – the alternate ending wouldn't have happened without your awesome support!**

**-mm**

**June 2010**


End file.
